Cotton-picking machine.



H. J. STOOPS.

COTTON PIGKING MACHINE. APPLICATION II'LBD OUT. 9, 1905 Patented Sept 6; 1919.

TBHEETB-BHEET 1.

' Irwmor WM Attor'h' 2g H. J. STOOPS.

COTTON PIUKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IIALBD 001. 9, 1900.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. J. STQOPS.

COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

AI'PLIGATION FILED OUT. 9, 1909.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

llllllllllli Swueul oz Knox- 4: m

H. J. STQOPS. COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0019, 1909.

Patented Sept. 6,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

orally to improve the action of the fan as Fig. 5, a detail plan view. of a transporting .of Texas, have invented certaihnewand ing in drying the cotton while making an an exhaust device and sack fillingdevice and represents '2 represents a plan view of a part of the UNITED STATES ATENT O FICE HARRY JAMES s'roo'rs,

or HOUSTON, TEXAS COTTON-PICKING MACHINE.

Speciileation'of Letters l atent. Patented Sept. 6, 1910- Application filed October 9, 1909. Serial No. 521,840.

To all whom 'it may concern: i

Be it known that I, HARRY JAMES Sroors, a citizen of the United States residing at l'louston, in the county of lIa rrtsand State useful Improvements in Cotton-Picking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to cotton picking cotton picking tubes to draw the bolls of cotton from the plants and pack the cottoninto sacks. 'Its. chief objects are to guard the plants against'injury, to draw all the matured cotton satisfactorily from the bolls, to insure picking all the cotton in cases where ithas died before ripening, to guard against drawing in foreign matter into the sacl to dry the cotton during its passage, thereto, .to provide convenient means for cooling the engine and at the same time aidauxiliary fan unnecessary; to provide convenient means forvarying at will the lateral extent of the suction cylinder-and the width of the strip picked over at each trip of the machine; to in...u'e perfect packing of every part of each sack; to provide means for gradually withdrawing a filling tube which" holds the sack diametrically distended,said means also serving to make said tube cooperate by mechanical pressure with the air pressure in such work of pe king and genthe details of the machine ingeneral.

In the accompanyin' drawings Figure 1 a side eleva .ion of'a cotton picking machine embodying my invention; Fig.

same; Fig. 3 represents a rear elevation of the same very slightly modified from the construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a de tail sectional -view of onetorm of nozzle;

wheel and its guard; Figs. (3 and 7, detail elevations-taken at right an es to each other of the cylinder cooling cap and proximate parts; Figs. 8 an 9, detail views of the rotary fan and someappurtenances respectively in front elevation and in vertical central section; Fig. 10, adetail perspective view of one of the end caps of the suction cylinder with one cylinder; Fig. 11, a detail view of one of the nipple caps; Fig. 12, a detail view of a part of the. perforated straining plate of the fan; Fig. 13, a detail view of the suction plied; Fig. 14, a detail viewof the rack guide and guard; views of the-discharge-tube-extending devices; Figs. 16 and 19, detail views of the devices for varying the position of the suction cylinder; and Fig. 18, a modified form of valve.

The machine may be drawn either by draft. animals or by a traction engine. In the former case the pole 1 carries a double'tree and swingle tree to which the draft chains are applied as usual. Said pole is attached to the forward end of the machine truck'composed of a wooden platform 5 resting on longitudinal beams 6 fastened by brackets 7 and their bolts 4 to the vertical sides of the arched middle part two transporting wheels truck cart fashion. The said middle part 8 has the form of an arch flattened on top so that its top (see' Fig.3) is at to its two parallel integral sides: Said wheel's run ,in the middle of the spaces between the rows next the row which the said axle straddles and the latter is high enough arched part 9 of the and broad enough to extension cylinder ap- 8 ofaxle 9 of the 10, that carry said right. angles Figs. 15 and 17, detail I avoid brushing against the bolls of said rota and to fit into the space between said beams, the latter being 'near. the side edges of the truck. Two pairs of'down-wardly converginglnace bars 12'are fastened at theirupper ends by screws 2 or other convenient; means to the said truck, such attachment being eitheito the beams 6 as in Fig. 1 or directly to the planks of the platformo, as in Fig.

bars 12 are at- 3. The lower ends'of said the angles made tached to the said axle near by thevertical sides of arched central part," I '8 with the horizontal outerparts 13 of said axle, which terminate in journals or spindles 14. v

To guard the branches of the plant from injury'by the wheels 10 either by entanglement among their spokes or by being crushed by the tires, I employ a guard for the lower part of each -wheel, said guard being as a whole V-shaped in horizontal section with the apex presented forward like the prow of a ship, so asto divide the eve-Ir branches of the two proximate rows" lapping and turn themasid'e gradually without in jury. The vertical frontbar 15 of this guard is attached at its upper end to the said truck and is ll-shaped incross section, presenting a sharp ridge forward. The two vertical rear bars 16 of said guard are shorter. than the front bar 15 and fastened respectively to. the proximate horizontal part 13 of the axle or the vertical part thereof near it and to the corresponding spindle 14. All the fastenings of said three'hars to other parts are detachable, screws or bolts being preferably employed as most convenient. The sides of said guard are com posed of horizontal bars or slats ranged at intervals with openings between them, the forward end of each side bar 17 being attached to the front bar 15 and its .rear end to the appropriate rear bar 16.

an exhaust fan 21 through a main shaft. 19, fan shaft. 54 and any suitable gearing -20.

i do not describe nor show these power applying. devices 18,19 and 20 and their appurtenances in detail, for they are not relevant to my present invention, but are indicated, as the fan must be driven by some means most conveniently located on the platform near it as shown. Said fan is mfiovided with a fixed casing 522 appro niately of the usual form and its inlet m ge 36 connects wit: a long hollow suct' n inder 23 attached rigidly to the rear of .d truck, but extending considerably be yond the same on each side anthprovided ral flexible hose suction pipes 24 at its outer end a detachable bell-moithed suction nozzle The length of the suction cylinder 23-and of the individual pipes enable the "pickers to cover a. considerable belt. or strip of the field at each passage and the pipes and nozzles 25 are sufiicier l: numerous number "of pie rs to operate at once for effectually clearing of cotton all the rows i said strip or belt without delaying the chine.

llach nozzle an annular inwardly tapering knife 26 detachably fastened to screws 2'? that pass through corresponding annular peripheral flanges 28 and. 29 said parts. The tapering body oiisa'id it. is Witl'iiu s: .d mouth and itiserves as a g'llttla' to prevent in some degree the escape of cot on in case of any defect of the suction, but i most impair-taut service is to cut the stern each boll inl said stem is bre 3-1.1 che to permit a properseems cotton is wholly drawn therefrom by the force of the suction. This cutting is effected by a slight backward movement of said nozzle operative at any angle by reason of the circular form of the knife edge and the inward-taper of the blade. This nozzle be ing provided with said knife will pick cotton from plants which have died (for example by frost) before the maturing and opening of the bolls. In dealing with living plants such picking of unripe cotton will be .of course generally unadvisable as it should be left to ripen for a. later occasion; but when frost or any plants it becomes important to save th cotton in the unopened bolls.

conveniently.

to permit its ready detachment from the hose or suction pipe for purposes of repair or cleaning. v

The suction cylinder 23 is provided with spring clamps 31' in the neighborhood of the attachment of each suction ipe 24, to hold the nozzle 25 of the latter and the proximate part of the hose, when not in use. Each clamp 31 as shownconsists of two curved springs, which hold the suction pipe or the neck of the nozzle against theface of said cylinder when said neck of pipe is forced between them. Each suction pipe is fitted on a nipple 32 projecting from cylinder 1 23, which nipple may be covered by a cap 33 in case the suction pipe or hose is removed for any considerable length of time. Less power is required. to e fectively operate the machine when the opening of the nipple is thus closed than it it were left open. The ends of the cylinder 23 are closed by ca s 3% unless provided with extension cylinders 35 which may be substituted :Zorthem or for Each cap or eaten either one of them. sien is tightly'titted into an endof the cylinder and will he. held by suction when in use without other fastening. It may also be'provided with one of said nipples 323501 a suction. pipe. The advantage of the extension cylinder 35 a substitute for such cap is that it practically elongates the end of the cylinder 23 on that side of the machine, since .said extension cylinder is itself pro vided with two or more nipples and suction pipes and the spring clamps for the nozzles of the latter. When an extension cylinder is appliedjihthis way to each end of the main cylinder the machine is capable pi dealing 'ily he reduced to its former width for entering a doorway or tolavoid any out of door obstacles or any other "purpose of con v'enience by removing said extension cylindots and putting said caps 34 in their places.

other agency has killed many" The detachw, bility of the knife allows it to be sharpened" Screw threads 30 are provided on the shank or neck of said nozzle at one passage with a much greater number of rows than beforeylout may read! and 19) leading to the fan fits within an annular fiange37 on the proximate end of the lateral outlet tube 39 of said cylinder, said outlet tube b'ein rigidly and permanentiy fixedto the latter. I Flange 37 is slotted at 40' in line with its circumference to allow the axial adjustment of' said airinlet passage or tube section 39, with consequent tilting of said suction cylinder, these partsbeing'clamped in any position to which they may be adjusted by the protruding screw stems 41 and thumb-nuts '42 or any similar device. Thus the cylinder may be tilted and clam dagainat will to suit uneven doorways 0ralon narrow anes or wagon roads in the w s when even a slight reduction of the lateral spacerequired may have an advantage. The fan 21 h'as anout-let 43, which fits the end of a tube 44, on jwhieha second tube 45 of greater diameter is arranged telesco icallyso as to be extensible. To exten or. draw back tube 45, I make use of a hand wheel 46- near the drivers seat 47, the inclined stem of said wheel being provided with a pinion 48 meshingl with a longitudinal iack 49 rigidly. attac ed toand. moving with the tube 45, the tubes 44 and 45 thus provided, collectively constituting a bagfilling conduit longitudinally extensible and contractible' at the will of the occupant of the said seatwith little effort. The outer end of the tube is provided 5 to-with an annular external flange50, adapted to' fit within a lar e sack 51 shown in- Fig. 1, the diameter-o. the ha and flange being almost exactly the same. flange is at first near the bottom' of the bag 45v and the blast'from said fan carries the cot ton through said tubes 44 and 45 into the small space then existing between the end of the tube -45 and the sack bottom, entirely filling said space with closely packed cotton and distending radially that art of the bag.

The operator then turns sai wheel and rod in a direction to make said pinion draw back said rack and tube 45 very slightly, again offering a small space to be filled.

This operation is repeated frequently as the filling progresses, until the bag is quite full. ,.[At any stage of this work and as'often as maybe needed the acti'on of the 'wheel may be reversed to force forward said tube 45 6 and said flange, thus by solid mechanical ressure reinforcing the pressure of the last and making thepacking perfect.

The material of the sack is Open enough to permit the escape of air through the tabric, leaving the cotton behind and within growth 0 the crops or inclin'ation of. 20 theground or convenience in a'ssing through 'nular u use, this the sack. The mouth of the sack during the filling operation is attached by hooks'52 to tube 44 and the guide and guard 53 as best shown in Fig. 15; The rack 49 is of suificient length to protrude, even at the beginning of the operation, through the mouth of the sack and is engaged by said pinion outside .ofthe same. Said track guide 53 guards said rack 49 from .entanglementwith the sack and has a curved pinion shield 55 on its end.

The precise construction of the suctibn fan is obviously not essential :to' my invention, nor to the operation of my cotton picker. A convenient form is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 in front and side view, the blades 63 bein integral with the central part or hub 81, rom which they radiate. This hub is of course bored at 58 to receive one of the ends of fan-shaft 54, which end protrudes through the inner side of said hub. Keys 57 lgFig. 9) fasten -the hub and shaft together, t-ting 1n grooves of the hub and shaftand held there by screws These screws andkeys and the said end of the shaft are covered and protected by a cap 56,-which isprovided on its inner face with an internally screw-threaded integral collar or annular flan e 59, the same bein screwed on the hub 81. Withoutsaid cap, wet or unripe cotton would be likely to cling to the parts which it, covers, I 'hencethe necessity of substituting a smooth surface such'as the outer face of said cap;.

simi arly threaded end of while its removability permits ready access to said parts. The blades of said fan are strengthened by thickening their material a at 63 on' the rearside'near the hub. Said fan is surrounded peripherally at all points except at the outlet or discharge 43 for supplying the sack filling tubes by a nearly anguard 64 of sheet met-alhaving many perforations 65. at all points except near said outlet. At the bottom of the fan casing I supply-a pocket'66 and a gate 67 When cotton is wet or dirty the water is, strained through the erforated plate'64 and descends to this poc et. Fine sand and dirt will also escape through perforations 65 taking thesame courseand all such foreign matter.

may be easily removed by opening said'gate,

so that the blast may immediately blow it out of the casing. The plate 64follows the outline of said casing, Near thedischarge it isv left imperforate for a short space at both ends 68 and 69,'the imperforate part being longer on the undersideof the exhaust than on its up er side. The object of this is to avoid al risk of drawing the a "water ,or dirt from said pocket up through the plate 64 and blowing it out with t e cotton into the sack. I j

.A casing 70 incloses the cylinder of engine 18 leaving a cooling air space 71 between them. One side of this casing is provided with'm'any perforations 76 and em the opposite side of said casing a suction pipe 73 extends to'suction cylinder 23. The action of the fan through the latter, draws the cold air through said perforations intosaid space, Where it cools the cylinder and is heated inso doing. Thence it passes to said cylinder 28 and aids in drying the cotton.

drawn into and through the same. If a w'atencooled engine be employed, of course the same means may be employed for cooling the water-pipes in the radiator, or if there are several cylinders they may all be treated in the same we '3 the casing being simply varied in shape and size to suit the radiator or group of cylinders. This method of engine cooling enables me to dispense with the additional or auxiliary fan or equivalent means heretofore used in such machines for engine cooling. Its action is regulated by the speed of the engine and fan and hence is automatically compensating according to the need of the mechanism. The means used therefore are simple, light and cheap. The same draft of air cools the engine and dries the cotton, and this is artof the same suction of the fan which raws the cotton from the bolls.

.A nozzle with a knife is obviously unnecessary when no stems need to be out; so, in

many instances other forms of nozzles than that marked 25 may be substituted withoutdisadvantage, for example cylindrical nozzle 74. (Fig. 18) having a valve 75 operated by a lever and sprin 77 and working through a raised guide (8 and slot 79 in the top of said nozzle near its inlet end to open or close this end at will. This nozzle is especially intended to be used in gathering cotton whi h has remained long after.

maturing, so that there are many dead leaves whichwould be drawn with or after the cotton into the suction pipe and cylinder but for the interposition of said valve. The latter may, howe' is dispensed with when the cotton has nooeen .left too long, In its normal condition will readily be drawn when ripe from the bolls without any intermingling of other ma terial or any n eed either for a valve or knife;

The operation has been desci red in detail. The fan driven by the engine draws from the suction cylinder and connected pipes and thus sucks in the cotton while cooling the engine and using the air thus heated to dry the cotton, and simultaneouslv and continuously blows the cotton into the sack'and in packing the'cotton is aided by the telescopic tubes .and hand uctuated tulle withdrawing andextending mechanism as setforth. 1

It would obviously be possible to substitute some other form of exhausting device for the fan, (for example a pump) but the means illustrated are found to he the best the cylindrical form" without stated; though the knife. will hel forth,

for the purpose, and fans only are applied E to any appreciable extent in practical use.

The word cylinder, as appliedherein to the suction cylinder, is not designed to corn fine the latter to cylindrical form. It is a hollow elongated receptacle for the cotton 7 from the cotton picking suction tuhcson the way to the fan audits form in cross section is immaterial except as'a matter of strength, convenience and creditable appearance. 1 7

In ordinary use the bell-mouth) form of nozzle without the knife, or for smaller bolls the valve, is satisfactory. Said knife and valve are chiefly useful for the special occasions retain the cotton if the'suction should all and weaken and the valve partly closed will do likewise. If quite closed it makes a perfect bar against escape. 8

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent-is:

1. A suction nozzle for cotton picking machines having an annular knifein its 9 outer end.

2. A suction nozzle for cotton picking machines having a detachable annular knife in its outer end.

3. A suction nozzle for a machine having an inwardly lar knife at its outer end.

4v A suction nozzle for a cotton picking machine having a bell fornrmouth and an inclined annular knife extending inwardly 1 as forth. V l

A suction nozzle for a cotton picking machine having av bell form mouth provided with an annular exterior flange and a knife having a. corresponding flange detachably 1 fastened thereto, said knife being annular" and tapering in form and extending back into said mouth so as to pres its edge in an inclined position substan ally as set cotton picking .3 inclined annu- 6 In combination with a fan and. a suction cylinder connected thereto, suction tubes for cotton picking connected to said cylin der and tubular connections between the fan casing and cylinder provided with means' for l regulating the position of the-cylinder in a vertical plane. v

7. In combination with a suction cylinder of a cotton picking machine, mechanism for exhausting the same, and aysuction tube or tubes attached to said cylinder, tubular rneans of connection between said cylinder-and ex" hausting means, said cmmccting means be ing adapted to hold the cylinder at different angles as adjusted substantially as set forth. 1

8. in. combinationwith the suction cylinder of a cotton pickin machine and the suction fan and transporting truck thereof? a pair of tubes which fit endwise to ether, bemg attached to said fan and cylinder respectively and permittin r the rotary adjustment of the tube attache to said cylinder for vailying the inclination, of the latter, one of sai tubes bein circumferentially slotted, and the other 0 said tubes being provided with screw threaded means extending through such slotpr slotsfor clamping said cylinder as thus adjusted. A

9. In combination with a suction cylinder and cotton picking tubes of a cotton picking machine, a device for exhausting the same,

an engine for operating said device, a casing surrounding said engine and leaving a space between them and a pipe running from said suction cylinder to said space to draw cool air over and around the engine.

10. In combination with a suction cylinder. and cotton picking tubes of a cotton picking machine, means for exhausting said cylinder, an engine for operating said means, and means for cooling said engine having tubular connection with said cylinder and operated by the. suction thereof.

11. In combination with a suction cylinder, cotton picking tubes and driving engine of a cotton ickingniachine, a casing surrounding sai engine and provided with air admittin perforations, ,a tube extending from sai casing to said cylinder and adapted to draw the outer air through said holes into said casing and around said engine for cooling the same and means driven by said engine for exhausting said cyllnder.

12. In combination with a hollow part to which a cotton picking tube is attached, an

engine cooling suction tubealso connected to said hollow part, means for exhausting the latter driven by said engine and a casing connected on one side to said engine' cooliug auction tube and having perforations in its opposite side, to permit a current of air to be drawnacross the interior ofsaid casing jfor cooling the engine substantially as setforth. v

13. A rotary fan 1n combination w1thcotton-picking suction tubes and nozzles, cotton packing deyices supplied by said fan and .a

truck supporting and transporting the foregoin elements, said fan aving a casing \YlllCl is provided at its bottom with a pocket for wastcjmaterial and a discharge gate and also provided with inlet and discharge openings, a guard peripherally surrounding said fan except at said discharge opening, saidguard being provided with icrforations at all points except in proxnnit to said dischar e o enin ,-but left 5 g P %t impcrforate on the under side 0 he latter to prcventwater and othcrmattcr from being drawn out of said pocket through the rforations of said plate into the outflow-' ing cotton.-

' said pinion to o 14. In combination with a cotton dis chargingdevice a telescopic extensible and contractible conduit receiving the cotton from said discharging device and conveying said cotton to the sack, devices for extending and shortening said conduit at will as .set forth and the truck of a cotton-picking machine, on which the aforesaid parts are supported and transmitted.

15. In combination with a cotton discharging fan having, a casing provided with an outlet, a tube'qonnectedto said outlet,

a second tube movable over the first one means arranged to be-operatedby hand for extending or withdrawin this second tube at will and the truck 01: a cotton-picking machine on which the aforesaid parts are supported and transported.

16. In combination with the transporting truck of a cotton picking machine a fan adapted to suck in and discharge cotton,'and a longitudinally movable I tube supplied thereby, provided with a flange adapted to distend a sack within which it is located and with means for moving said tube 1ongitudinally, "said fan and tube being mounted on and transported by said truck. 17. In combination with a fan adapted to suck in and discharge cotton, a tube connected to the outlet of said fan and receiving cotton therefrom, a second tube tele scopically connected to the first for longitudinal contraction and extension, means for thus moving this second tube longitudinally, the outer end of the latter being provided with'an external annular flange and the trans orting truck of a cotton picking machine, y which the foregoin parts are carried for the purpose set fort 18. In combination with a fan discharging cotton, a tube connected to'its outlet, a

second tube extensible and contractible lonitudinally thereon and provided with a on itudinal rack, a pinion engagin said rac a hand-wheel and rod provide with rate said rack and tube and the truck 0 a cotton picking machine which carries the foregoing parts substantially asset forth.

19. In combinat on with a fan discharging cotton, a tube connected to its outlet, a

second tube sleeved'telescopically thereon and extendin 4 beyond the same,- a rack on this second tu e, a'guard and guideway for said rack a pinion a guard for said pinion,

hand-operated devices for turning the pmrate said rack and tube and the ioh to o truck 0 a cotton-picking machine which carries the foregoing parts.

20. In combination with a fan and suction cylinder exhausted thereby, a series of sue-- tiou tubes connected to said cylinder and a series of detachable nozzles for said tubes, each nozzle .having an open outer end at least equal in diameter t0 he rest of the name t0 this specification in the pl senca' 2102216 adapted to be applied to the bolls of two subscribing Witnesses 0r removin the cotton therein and prom w vided with fi xed though detachable annular HARRY E v 100E253 5 knives for cutting the stems of cotton bolls Witnesses: 1

substantially as set forth, E. W. TOWNES, In testimony whereof, I hava signed my N. S. HEWIT. 

